1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of optoelectronics, and more specifically to a spatial light modulator including a photosensor diode and a photoemitting diode array which may be advantageously incorporated into a pair of eye protection goggles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Workers in scientific, technical, and construction environments are often exposed to hazards in the form of intense light from optical lasers, arc welding equipment, and other sources. A worker can easily suffer severe eye damage from intense light, especially if encountered without warning.
Conventional eye protection goggles or face plates consist merely of thick optical filters which absorb a large proportion of the light passing therethrough. A major disadvantage of this expedient is that the filters absorb so much light that a normally illuminated scene cannot be seen through them.
Spatial light modulators in the form of liquid crystal light valves (LCLV) are especially useful in large visual display applications. A LCLV is an optical-to-optical transducer that is capable of accepting a low-intensity visible light image and converting it, in real time, into an output image with light from another source. A general description of LCLV technology is presented in a paper entitled "Progress in Liquid Crystal Light Valves", by W. P. Bleha, Laser Focus/Electro-Optics, Oct. 1983, pp. 111-120.
Although advantageous in many applications, LCLVs require an external light source to produce the converted image, and are complex and expensive to manufacture on a commercial production basis. These factors preclude their use in eye protection goggles.
Night vision devices which utilize image intensifier tubes as their main active element are in widespread use. Although providing the desired visual image intensification, the tubes are delicate and sensitive. If a conventional night vision device were subjected to input light from an optical laser, the overload would be so severe that photosensitive coating in the tube would be damaged beyond repair and the device disabled.